


When the world goes to Shit

by WalkerKiller21



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Childbirth, F/F, F/M, Implied Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes, M/M, Minor Lori Grimes/Shane Walsh, Mpreg, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Lori Grimes/Rick Grimes, Size Kink, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-09-12 12:01:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9070744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WalkerKiller21/pseuds/WalkerKiller21
Summary: Before the outbreak, Kendall was just another normal kid.                  Kendall Lucien Greene is a 16 year old boy living his Father, Hershel Greene and his Half-Half-sisters, Maggie and Beth. A few weeks after the outbreak, The farm Kendall's mother had was overrun and Kendall was found in the woods by his sister Maggie, and brought back to their farm, now an orphan. Now he and his family live on their farm peacefully until a man shows up with his dying boy.





	1. Chapter 1

Full name:  _ **Kendall Lucien Greene**_

Age: **_16_**

Height:  _ **5"10**_

Family:  _ **Hershel (father), Maryanne (mother-deceased), Beth (Half-sister), Maggie (Half-sister)**_

**_Blood type: O Negative_ **


	2. Blood Letting

_**-Kendall Pov-** _

 

 

 

            I sat on the porch in the rocking chair, book in hand, when heavy breaths caught my attention. Marking my place, I grabbed the Binoculars and looked through them, to see a man running towards the Farm with a limp boy in his arms. "Dad!" I hollered, hoping he'd hurry.

 

 

 

            It wasn't long before he reached us and the door behind me swung open to reveal Dad, Maggie, Beth, Patricia and Jimmy, who was holding a baseball bat. "Was he bit?" Dad called out to the man. "Shot. By your man." The guy huffed, coming closer. "Otis?" Patricia asked in shock. "He said find Hershel. Is that you? Help me. Help my boy!" The man cried. I couldn't help but feel sorry for this man. "Get him inside." Dad ordered.

 

 

 

             The man followed Dad up the stairs, as he barked out orders. "Patricia, I need my full kit. Maggie?" Dad asked. "Yeah?" She answered. "Painkillers, Coagulates-- Grab everything." Dad ordered before turning to me. "Kendall! Clean towels, sheets, alcohol!" I nodded, running off to find what he said. I came back just as they were lying the boy on the bed. "Pillowcase." Dad demanded. "Is he alive?" The man asked.

 

 

 

               "Pillowcase, quick." Dad ordered again. "Is..... is he alive?" The man questioned. "Fold it, make a pad. Kendall, put pressure on the wound." I scrambled to do everything Dad said, the boys blood quickly staining the white pillowcase as I held it there. Dad used his stethoscope to check the boys breathing, making sure he was alive. The man stood back, watching helplessly. "I've got a heartbeat. It's faint." Dad spoke grimly.

 

 

 

             "I've got it Kendall, Step back." Patricia spoke, moving forward and pushing away my hands, replacing them with her own. "Maggie, IV." Dad called out. "We need some space." Maggie told the guy. "Your name?" Dad asked. "Rick. I.... I'm Rick." The man stuttered. "Rick? We're gonna do everything we can, okay? You need to give us some room. Now." Dad ordered. Rick stepped out of the room when he saw Otis arrive with another man. 

 

 

 

 

             "You know his blood type?" Dad asked Rick when he walked back in the room. "A Positive, same as mine." Rick answered quietly. "That's fortunate. Don't wander too far. I'm gonna need you. What happened?" Dad asked, directing the last question at Otis. "I was tracking a buck. Bullet went through it. Clean through." Otis spoke softly. "The deer slowed the bullet down, which certainly saved his life. But it did not go through clean. It broke up into pieces. If I can get the bullet fragments out..... and I'm counting six." Dad told us.

 

 

 

 

              "I never saw him, not until he was on the ground." Otis whispered as Patricia brought him into a comforting hug. "Lori doesn't know." Rick spoke to the other man. "I know." The man spoke, slinging an arm around his friends shoulders. "My wife doesn't know. My wife doesn't know." Rick kept repeating. "You've got to stay with him." The man whispered. 

 

 

-time skip- 

 

 

 

 

               I stood in the doorway, watching Rick talk with his friend, whose name I'd learned was Shane. "Why'd I let him come with us? I should've sent him with Lori." Rick murmured. "You know, you start that, you'll never get that monkey off your back." Shane told him softly. "Little girl goes missing, you look for her. Simple. You said call it, head back." Rick spoke. "Doesn't matter what I said." Shane told him. "Carl got shot because I wouldn't cut bait. It should be me in there." Rick spoke.

 

 

 

 

                        Shane chuckled, wringing his hands. "You've been there partner. Right? But you pulled through, so will he." Shane said. "Is that why I got out of that hospital? Found my family for it to end like this? This some kind of sick joke?" Rick demanded. "Stop it. Just stop." Shane spoke sternly. "Little girl goes missing........ you look for her. It's plain and simple." Rick cried.

 

 

 

               "Rick." Maggie called, swinging the door open. All three of us shot after her, anxious to find out what was wrong. "He needs blood." I stated, answering the question on our mind. The boy lying on the bed was crying and groaning, Hershel and Patricia trying their damndest to stop him from moving. "You, hold him down!" Dad told Shane, who shot forward to do as he was told. 

 

 

                 "Dad!" Carl cried as Shane held him down, Patricia moving away. "I got him." Shane told the Blonde woman. Hershel dug deeper into the wound, trying to locate the bullet shards as he screamed. "Stop! You're killing him!" Rick screamed. "Rick, do you want him to live?" I demanded. "He needs blood!" Patricia exclaimed. "Do it now! Shane yelled. 

 

 

 

 

              Rick grunted as Patricia stuck the needle in his arm. Carl stopped crying and struggling, his little body going limp. "Wait. Wait. Hey." Shane stuttered out, looking to Hershel. "He just passed out." I informed them. "One down. Five to go." Dad stated as he dropped a bullet fragment in a metal tray. 

 

 

-time skip- 

 

 

 

           I sat at the foot of the bed as Dad took Carl's blood pressure. With one arm, the other having a needle in it, connecting to the thing taking Out Rick's blood. "Pressure's stable." Dad declared. "Lori needs to be here. She doesn't even know what's going on." Rick spoke suddenly. "I've got to go find her, bring her back." He added. "You can't do that." Dad told him sternly. "She's his mother. Her son is lying here shot." Rick argued. 

 

 

 

             "And he going to need more blood. You can't go more than 50 feet from this bed. You or Kendall." Rick's head shot up when my name was mentioned. "Why him? What can he do for Carl?" I knew he wasn't trying to be offensive, but I was offended. "Kendall's a universal blood donor. O negative. If Carl needs more blood, and you can't give it, I need him here." Dad answered. Seeing Rick's gaze drift to me, I gave him a small smile.

 

 

 

 

 

               "Hey. Hey." Shane caught Rick's attention but Rick brushed him off and walked out of the room. 

 

 

-3rd pov- 

 

 

 

            Shane and Rick walked into the livingroom, where Maggie and Otis sat. "He's stable for now." Shane spoke, closing the door behind him, seeing their faces. "Lori has to be here Shane, she has to know." Rick spoke. "Okay. I get that, and I'm gonna handle it. But you've got to handle your end." Shane told Rick. "My--... my end?" Rick questioned quietly. "Your end is being here for your son. Even if he didn't need your blood to survive, there Is no way I'd ever let you walk out that door." Shane spoke sternly. 

 

 

 

 

                "I'd break your legs if you tried, you know that right?" He added. Rick looked at his best friend for a moment before turning his head away. "If something happened to him and you weren't here....... if... if he slipped away while you were gone, you'd never forgive yourself for that man..... and neither would Lori." Shane told him. "You're right." Rick said quietly. "When am I not right?" Shane chuckled. 

 

 

 

        "You know what, when you were in that hospital, the one you were never supposed to leave, man you should've seen Lori. She was like....... the strength of that woman..... you can't imagine it. That's what you gotta have now. Carl needs you. Just leave the rest to me okay?" Shane asked, pressing his forehead against Rick's. The door opened and Hershel walked out, followed by Kendall.

 

 

 

 

             The other four stood, waiting. "He's out of danger for the moment. But I need to remove those remaining fragments." Hershel spoke. "How? You saw how he was in there." Rick questioned, worry filling his expression. "That was the shallowest one. He needs to go deeper to get the others." Kendall answered. "There's more." Hershel told them as Shane muttered something under his breath. "Tell me." Rick rasped.

 

 

 

                "His belly's distended, his Pressure's dropping, which means there's internal bleeding. A fragment must've nicked one of his blood vessels." Hershel explained to them. "He has to open him up, find the bleeder and stitch it. And he can't move while Mr. Greene's working on him. I mean, at all. If he reacts the same as before, he'll sever an artery and he'll be dead within minutes." Kendall explained.

 

 

 

 

             "To even try this, I've got to put him under. But If I do, he won't be able to breathe on his own. Same bad results." Hershel told Rick. "What'll it take?" Rick rasped out. "You need a respirator. What else?" Otis asked, stepping forward. "The tube that goes with it. Extra surgical supplies, drapes, sutures." Kendall told Otis. "if you had all that, you could save him?" Rick asked Hershel. "If i had all that, I could try." Hershel told him.

 

 

 

                "Nearest hospital went up in flames a month ago." Otis spoke. "The high school!" Kendall exclaimed. "That's what I was thinking." Hershel spoke. "They set up a FEMA shelter there. It'd have everything we'd need." Kendall spoke, seeing Rick's questioning look. "Place was overrun, last time I saw it," Otis spoke, "you couldn't get near it. Maybe it's better now." It got quiet for a few seconds before Shane spoke up. "I said, leave the rest to me. Is it too late to take that back?" Shane laughed a little. 

 

 

 

         

            "I hate you going alone." Rick warned. "Come on," Shane whispered before turning to Hershel, "doc, why don't you do me a list and draw me a map?" Otis stepped forward. "You won't need a map, I'll take you there." Otis spoke, "ain't but five miles." He added. "Otis, no!" Patricia objected. "Honey, we don't have time for guesswork, ain't no I'm responsible. I ain't gonna sit here while this fella takes this on alone. I'll be alright." Otis told his wife. 

 

 

        

          "Are you sure about this?" Shane asked him. "You even know what any of the stuff he's talking about looks like?" Otis asked him. "Come to think, no." Shane answered. "I've been a volunteer EMT. I do. We can talk about this till next sunday or we could just go do it real quick." Otis spoke quietly. "I'll take right quick." Shane spoke. "I should thank you." Rick told Otis. "Wait till that boy of yours is up and around." Otis replied. "Then we'll talk. I'll gather some things." He added. "Where is she, your wife?" Maggie asked Rick. 

* * *

 

_**-3rd pov-** _

 

 

              Daryl, Lori, Carol, Andrea and Glenn walked through the woods, weapons in hand. "We'll loose the light before too long." Daryl spoke, looking at the rest of them. "I think we should call it." He added. "Let's head back." Andrea spoke, one hand on her hip. "We'll pick it up again tomorrow?" Carol asked timidly. "Yeah, we'll find her tomorrow." Lori agreed. Daryl whistled, waving his arm in in the universal sign that meant, 'follow me.' 

 

 

              The rest O the group turned and followed after the hunter, Carol hesitating just slightly.

* * *

 

_**-Kendall pov-** _

 

              I followed the men outside with Patricia, dad following close behind. "Just get what you need and get out of there." Rick told Shane as Patricia gave Otis a goodbye hug. Once the two separated, Rick held out his colt python to Otis. After a moments hesitation and a look from dad, he took it. "That's a fine weapon Rick. I'll bring it back in good shape." Otis spoke, grabbing his rifle out of the bed of the truck as Shane tapped the truck twice. We watched as the got into the truck, started it up and drove off. "Let's check on your boy." Dad spoke to Rick.

* * *

 

 

 

            Back at the highway, T-dog sat leaned up against the RV, sweat dripping off his face as Dale walked up to him. "Found some more batteries, a bottle of very trendy pink water, an excellent new machete, and I thought Glenn might like this guitar." Dale spoke. As T-dog took a puff o his cigarette. "No drugs, you?" He asked after a moment. "Ibuprofen and these." T-dog said, holding up his cigarette. After a moment of silence, T-dog spoke. "What are we doing?" He questioned. "Pulling supplies together." Dale answered. "No, I mean......  _What_ are we  _ **Doing?**_ People off in the woods, they's looking for that poor little girl and we're here. Why?" T-dog asked. 

 

 

           "Cause they think we're the weakest. What are you, 70?" T-dog questioned. "64." Dale answered back. "Uh-huh. And I'm the one black guy. Realize how precarious that makes my situation?" T-dog asked. "What the hell are you talking about?" Dale demanded. "I'm talking about two good-old-boy cowboy sheriff's and a redneck whose brother cut off his own hand because I dropped a key. Who in that scenario you think is gonna be the first one to get lynched?" He answered. "You can't be serious. Am I-- am I missing something? Those  _Cowboys_ have done alright by us. And if I'm not mistaken, that redneck went out of his way to save your ass, more than once." Dale ranted. 

 

 

             "And don't forget about Andrea. Kills her own sister." T-dog shot back. "She was already dead." Dale responded. "And then wants to blow herself up. Yeah, she's all there." T-dog spoke sarcastically. "She is having a tough time, what is wrong with you?" Dale demanded. "The whole world is having a tough time. Damn man! Open your eyes! Look where we are-----! Stuck in this mess here!" T-dog yelled as Dale through red to shut him up. "Let's just...... let's just go. Just take the RV and go." T-dog stated. "You've gone off the deep end." Dale spoke in disbelief, standing up.

 

 

          "I mean it man! Why we on the side of this road like live bait? Let's go, you and me. Let's go before they get back." T-dog spoke reaching up to Dale, who pressed a hand to the man's forehead. "Oh, my god. You're burning up!" Dale exclaimed. "Gimme that!" He added, reaching out for the Ibuprofen bottle. "Here, take these. We've gotta knock that fever down." Dale spoke, taking the cap off the pink water. "Where the hell are they?" Dale asked worriedly. 

* * *

 

 

          

               "How much farther?" Andrea asked as they trekked through the Dense foliage. "Not much. Maybe 100 yards. As the crow flies." Daryl answered. "Too bad were not crows." Andrea murmured, slowly and unknowingly separating herself from the group. "Oh!" Andrea cried out in surprise as she walked into a spider web. "As the crow flies my ass!" She added, before hearing a growl nearby. At the sound of Andrea's screams, the group came running.  Andrea pushed her knife into the walkers chest in a vain attempt at pushing it off. 

 

 

                  Pulling her knife free,  she screamed again before tripping backwards over a tree limb. "Help me!" Andrea screamed, crawling backwards as the walker advanced, growling and snarling. It was as if time stood still for a split second before the walked was knocked off the Blonde by a rider on a horse wielding a baseball bat. "Lori? Lori grimes? Whoa!" The woman on horseback called. "I'm Lori!" The woman in question called as she and the others arrived. "Rick sent me.  You've gotta come now!" She ordered. "What?" Lori asked breathlessly. 

 

 

          "There's been an accident, Carl's been shot! He's still alive, but you've got to come with me! Now!" She spoke. "Just come!" She added, seeing Lori's hesitation. "Who whoa whoa! We don't know this girl! You can't get on that horse!" Daryl protested. "Rick said you had others on the highway, that big traffic snarl?" The woman questioned. "Uh-huh." Glenn stuttered out. "Backtrack to Fairburn road. Two miles back is our farm. You'll see the mailbox, names Greene. Hyah!" The woman called as they took off. The walker sat up, groaning, but an arrow pierced it's head before it could do anything else. "Shut up." Daryl snarled.

* * *

 

**_-Kendall pov-_ **

 

 

              I sat outside with Rick as we waited for his wife. The screen door creaked open as Dad walked out. "This place is beautiful." Rick croaked. "Been in my family 160 years." Dad spoke. "I can't believe how serene it is. How untouched. You're lucky." Rick told him. "We weren't completely unscathed. We lost friends, neighbors. The epidemic took my wife, my stepson, Kendall's mother." An ache built up in my chest as Dad spoke.

 

 

 

 

            "I'm sorry." Rick croaked. "My daughters and son were spared. I'm grateful to God for that. These people here, all we got left is each other. Just hoping we can ride it out in peace till there's a cure." Dad spoke. "We were at the CDC. It's gone now. There Is no cure." Rick informed us, making my head snap up. "I don't believe it. When AIDS came along, everyone panicked. One boy in town came down with it and some parents pulled their children from school so they didn't have to sit in the same room." Dad stated. 

 

 

           "This is a whole other thing." Rick told him. "That's what we always say.... ' _This one's different._ '" Dad said. "Well this one is." Rick countered. "Mankind's been fighting plagues from the start. We get our behinds kicked for a while, then we bounce back. It's nature correcting herself, restoring some balance." Dad spoke softly. "I wish I could believe that." Rick said thes chimes blew softly in the the breeze. We heard hooves galloping and in the distance, we saw Maggie coming back, an extra person on her saddle. 

 

 

 

          Rick raced off the porch to meet his wife, leaving us staring after him. The horse slowed to a stop as the woman, Lori, slid off the saddle. They embraced each other as Lori broke out in sobs. They raced into the house with dad and I following behind them. "I'm sorry." Rick murmured to her softly. "My boy." Lori cried quietly as she climbed up on the bed and laid down by her son's side. 

 

 

_**-time skip-** _

 

      Patricia had come in some time ago and gave Carl another blood transfusion. "Slow, slow." Lori chided quietly as Rick stood from the chair. "How many transfusions?" She asked quietly. "Two. Only two." Rick answered. "He wanted to do the same thing for you when you were in the hospital. I had to talk him out of it." Lori chuckled. They two walked down the stairs, Rick stumbling a little as Dad held out a glass or orange juice to the man. "Okay. So I understand, when Shane gets back with this other man--" Lori was cut off. "Otis." Dad interjected helpfully. 

 

 

          "Otis. The idiot who shot my son." Lori spoke spitefully. "Ma'am, it was an accident." I stated. "I'll take that under advisement later. For now he's the idiot who shot out son." Lori told me. "Lori, they're doing everything they can to make it right." Rick stated. "Okay, as soon the get back you can preform the surgery?" Lori asked breathlessly. "I'll certainly do my best." Dad told her. "Okay. And you've done this procedure before?" She asked. "Well, yes in a sense. " Dad replied. "In a sense?" Lori echoed questioningly. "Honey, we don't have the luxury of shopping for a surgeon." Rick reminded her quietly. 

 

 

                  "No, I understand that. But I mean, you're a doctor right?" Lori asked dad. "Yes Ma'am, of course. I'm a vet." Dad spoke. "A veteran? A combat medic?" Lori asked jumping to conclusions. "A veterinarian." Dad corrected. "And you've done this surgery before on what? Cows? Pigs?" Lori demanded. "I have to sit." Rick groaned, collapsing in the chair. "You're completely in over your head, aren't you?" Lori asked angrily. "Ma'am, aren't we all? And to be honest, I'd be a little kinder to him, seeing as he's your boys only chance at survival." I snapped. "Kendall." Dad spoke in warning.  Rolling my eyes, I crossed my arms. "Shouldn't you go check Carl's blood pressure?" I questioned.

 

 

 

           Dad gave me a look before walking in the house, followed by Rick, Lori and I. Once dad had finished checking Carl, he ran his hand over his face with a sigh. "Pressure's dropping again." He said. "We can't wait much longer." He added. "Take some more. Whatever he needs. Then I'm gonna go." Rick told us, holding our his arm. "Go? Go where?" I questioned, confused. "He said five miles. They should be long back by now." Rick told me. "Are you insane?" Lori demanded. "Rick, listen to your wife. You're in no condition to do anything about it. You've given too much blood. You're barely on your feet. You wouldn't make it across the yard." I told him bluntly.

 

 

 

          "If something happened, I've got to go!" Rick spoke with urgency. "No! Your place is here! Shane said he'll be back, he'll be back. He's like you that way." Lori spoke sternly. "I can't just sit here!" Rick cried helplessly. "That's exactly what you do!" Lori yelled, Fury etching itself across her features. "If you need to pray or cry or tell god he's being cruel, you go right ahead, but you're not leaving Rick." She added. "She can't do this by herself." I spoke..


	3. Save the Last one

_**-Kendall Pov-** _

 

 

              "Rick, you gotta keep your strength up." Lori reminded Rick as they sat by Carl's bedside. "I mean it was legendary. Did you ever hear about the time Shane stole Kingsley's car?" Rick asked us. "Yeah." Lori spoke, as I Stood outside the room, Sandwich in hand.

 

 

                "The principles car,right out of the teachers lot in the middle of the school day. Shane steps out of lunch and makes a beeline for Kingsley's Hyundai... wires the ignition, peels out, drives down Dylan drive to that chicken farm out there. So he pulls it into one of those big holding pens. Kingsley, he waxed that thing every month; had the auto shop vacuum it out every week. Shane, he parks it in this huge pen with a couple hundred Rhode Island reds. He busts open bags of seed in the back seat, rolls down all the windows, and then starts sprinting back to school. It's three miles away, easy. He's back in time to finish his sandwich before the bell. And then the bell rings. Shane gets up and when he runs into Kingsley in the hallway, he looks out the window and says, ' _Principal Kingsley, Your Coupe's gone._ ' "Rick chuckled as Lori stroked Carl's hand. 

 

 

 

             "Coupe, like Chicken Coop." Rick laughed. "I get it." Lori murmured. "Of course you do. You've heard this story 1,000 times. What you said before, you're right. Shane's gonna make it back with what the doctor needs. He'll make it back." Rick spoke. "Dad said you need to eat." I finally spoke up, knocking on the door frame to inform them of my presence. I held the sandwich out to Rick but he ignored it. "Carl's gonna be alright. But you need to keep your strength up." I told him, sighing when he still didn't take the food. "Please. For me?" Lori asked pleadingly. 

 

 

              Rick heaved out a sigh and took the sandwich from me. "Alright." He spoke. I walked out of the room, leaving them be. I frowned in confusion when I heard voices outside. "So, so we ring the bell?" A guy asked. Quietly stepping out onto the porch, I saw two men standing there. A black man and an Asian man. "I mean, it looks like people live here." The Asian spoke, not having seen me yet. "We're past this stuff aren't we? Having to be considerate." The black man muttered as they began walking up the steps. "Did you close the gate up the road when you drive in?" I asked, my question having the desired effect as they both jumped, just now noticing my presence. 

 

 

            "Uh, hi." The Asian stuttered. "Yeah, we closed it. Did the latch and everything." He added once he'd gathered himself. Maggie walked out of the house, successfully making them jump again. "Hello. Nice to see you again.we met before. Briefly." The Asian stated as my sister stared. "Look, we came to help. There anything we can do?" The black man asked. My eyes widened when I caught sight of the makeshift bandage on his forearm. "It's not a bite. I cut myself pretty bad though." He told me. "We'll have it looked at. I'll tell them you're here." Maggie spoke up. "We have some Painkillers and antibiotics." The Asian spoke, rifling through his bag. "I already gave him some. If Carl needs any." He added softly. 

 

 

                "Come on inside, I'll make you something to eat." Maggie told them as I took the bottle from the Asian, and walked back inside and up to the room where I knew my father was getting things ready. If those two didn't come back soon, we'd have to take the chance of Carl not making it out of the surgery alive. 

 

 

              I walked into the room to the sound of air hissing as it was let out of the blood pressing cuff. "Hey." The Asian boy called, as he, the other man and Maggie walked in behind me. "Hey." Rick greeted back. "Um, we're here, okay?" The boy said. "Thank you." Lori told him. "Whatever you need." The other man said. They walked out of the room, leaving us standing there in uncomfortable silence. "If they don't get back soon, we're gonna have a decision to make." I Spoke Up As Dad Pulled Carl's blanket down, revealing the wound that was slowly getting worse. "And that is?" Rick asked me.

 

 

                "Whether to operate on Carl without the respirator." I answered. "You said that wouldn't work." Lori spoke, directing the question at dad. "I know. It's extremely unlikely. But we can't wait much longer." As soon as the words left my dad's mouth, Lori was up and out of the room. We waited for what felt like hours before Carl all of a sudden began coughing. "Where are we?" He croaked out. I Backed out of the room, leaving the adults to explain it to them.

 

 

           "Kendall?" Patricia and Maggie questioned in Unison as I made my way out onto the porch. "It's nothing." I murmured quietly.  "Kendall? Daddy needs you to give blood." She murmured. I nodded, following her back inside in a daze. 

 

- _Time Skip-_

 

          I sat on the in the kitchen by Maggie, Patricia, Glenn and T-dog as she Stitched T-dog's arm up. "You got here right in time. This couldn't go untreated much longer." Patricia spoke as he stitched, Maggie holding T's arm still. "Merle Dixon. Is that your friend with the antibiotics?" Patricia asked. "No Ma'am. Merle's no longer with us. Daryl gave us those.... his brother." Glenn answered, staring down at the mug in his hands. "Not sure I'd call him a friend." T-dog said. "He is today. This doxycycline just saved your life. You know what Merle was taking it for?" I asked Glenn. "The clap." Glenn answered back automatically, gaining odd looks from us. 

 

 

                   "Um, venereal disease. That's what Daryl said." Glenn muttered, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I'd say Merle Dixon's clap was the best thing that's ever happened to you." Patricia told T-dog. "I'm really trying not to think about that." T-dog grunted as Glenn shot past us and went outside. Shaking my head, I went into the living room and sat on the couch, my pointer finger tracing the small square of gauze covering the place where blood had been taken. I don't know how long I was sitting there, but I heard my father arguing with Rick and Lori upstairs. It was quiet for a second, just a split second before Patricia was pulling me up off the couch. 

 

 

             I helped her bring the metal operating table into the room, dad barking out orders again. "Okay, get that corner of the bed. Let's get the sheets down everybody. Get the IV bag on the sheet. Okay on three. One, two, Three." On three, we lifted Carl up and moved him to the table. I grabbed a nearby lamp and took of the lampshade as Patricia grabbed the tools. Pulling the chord, I winced as the bright light from the two bulb lamp blinded me. "Rick, Lori, you may want to step out." I looked at the body lying lifelessly on the table, as the sound of an approaching truck reached our ears. 

 

 

           Walking over, Rick peaked out the window and sighed in relief at the familiar blue truck. "Oh god." Rick gasped. "You stay here with him." Dad told Patricia before we raced out to greet the two. Just as we flooded out of the house,  Shane got out of the truck, Otis nowhere in sight. He limped up to us, large bag thrown over his shoulder. "Carl?" He huffed out. "There's still a chance." Rick told him. "Otis?" Dad asked, not seeing the man. "No." Shane told us with a shake of his head. "We say nothing to Patricia. Not till after. I need her!" Dad ordered, moving as fast as he could. I sat in the rocking chair, head in my hands as a hurt I never wanted to feel again bloomed in my chest.

 

 

 

                 Tears filled my eyes as I thought of the events of today. I wanted to cry..... and I wanted to do it somewhere away from these people, but I couldn't even go to my room, seeing as that was where they were now operating on the dying boy. I could do nothing but listen as the crickets chirped and Maggie let the tears free.

* * *

 

**-Kendall's mother-**

** **

 

 

               Some time later, I sat with Maggie and Glenn in the kitchen. "We've known Otis since we were kids. He's run this farm since before our mothers died." Maggie sniffled. "Who else?" Glenn asked. "Who'd you loose?"He added after a moment. "You told me I had to make it okay somehow. That's what you've been trying to do, right? Which ones?" Glenn asked. Maggie stood and walked over to the fridge that was covered in pictures held there with magnets. "Step-mother." She spoke, pointing to a picture of a smiling Annette Greene. 

 

 

                 "Step-brother." She pointed to a picture of Shawn. "And Kendall's mother."  Maggie spoke, pointing to a picture of my mom. I walked outside and sat in my rocking chair, unable to listen any longer. A few minutes passed by as we waited, when the screen door swung open and out stepped dad. "He seems to have stabilized." Dad spoke, bringing good news. "Oh god." Rick exhaled in relief. Rick pulled dad into a hug as Lori got teary eyed. "I don't have words." Lori spoke as Rick pulled away. "I don't either. Wish I did. How do I tell Patricia about Otis?" Dad asked, bringing that painful feeling back.

 

 

 

            "You go to Carl. I'll go with Hershel." Rick stated, looking at Lori. Hershel, Lori and Rick walked inside, and a few seconds later, Patricia's sobs of anguish could be heard throughout the house. Closing my eyes, I felt myself drift off to sleep to the sounds of sobs, crickets and somewhere a buzzing sound.


	4. Cherokee Rose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of Otis' death, Carl starts recovering and a funeral is held.

* * *

_**Kendall Pov-** _

 

 

                  I woke up to the sun shinning in through the window. Rubbing my eyes blearily, I noticed that I'd been moved into the living room and now I laid on the couch. Sitting up, I slipped on my shoes and walked to the door. Looking out, I noticed that Maggie, Shane, T-dog, Beth, Jimmy and Glenn were grabbing Rocks and putting them in the wheelbarrow. Hearing the sound of a motorcycle approaching, I looked to the drive way, where an RV and a motorcycle were. Noticing that it was the rest of their group, I shook my head and walked back inside.

 

           A Tap on the shoulder startled me out of my thoughts. Looking up, I saw dad standing there. "C'mon. It's time for the funeral." He spoke. Nodding, I followed the others outside, walking past people I didn't know. A few moments later, we were standing in front of a large pile of rocks, seeing as we had no body, this would have to do. "Blessed be god. Our father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to him, for the gift of our brother Otis, for his span of years, for his abundance of character; Otis, who gave his life to save a child's, now more than ever, our most precious asset, " Dad began.

 

 

               "We thank you God, for the Peace He Enjoys in your embrace. He died as he lived, in grace. Shane? Will you speak for Otis?" Dad asked. "I'm not good at it." The man responded. "You were the last one with him. You shared his final moments. Please. I need to hear. I need to know his death had meaning." Patricia begged. "Meaning." Shane began. "We were about done. Almost out of ammo, we were down to pistols But I was limping. It was bad. Ankle all swollen up. ' _We've got to save the boy!_ ' See, that's what he said, he gave me his backpack, he shoved me ahead." Shane spoke a little more before walking up and placing a rock on the pile. 

 

 

                   "If not for Otis, then I'd not have made it out alive. Same goes for Carl. It was Otis. He saved us both. If any death ever had meaning, it was his." Patricia nodded, agreeing with what Shane said. 

* * *

 

 

             "How longs this girl been lost?" Dad asked. "This'll be day three." Rick answered as Maggie walked up with a map. "County survey map. Shows terrain and elevations." Maggie spoke, Unrolling the map out on the hood of the jeep. "This is perfect. We can finally get this thing organized." Shane spoke up. "We'll grid the whole area and start searching in teams." Rick started before dad shut That idea down real quick. "Not you. Not today. You gave three units of blood. You wouldn't be hiking five miles in this heat before passing out." Dad said before turning to Shane. "And your ankle. Push it now and you'll be laid up a month. No good to anybody."

 

 

                    "Guess it's just me. I'm gonna head back to the creak. Work my way from there." Daryl spoke, hitching his Crossbow up on his shoulder. "I could still be useful. I'll drive up to the interstate, see if Sophia Wandered back." Shane Suggested. "All right, tomorrow then. We'll start doing this right." Rick spoke, his sheriff's hat sitting atop his head. "That means we can't have our people out there with just knives. They need the gun training we promised them." Shane told us.

 

 

 

             "I'd prefer you not carrying guns on my property. We've managed so far without turning this into an armed camp." Dad spoke, a clear warning in his tone. "All due respect, you get a crowd of those things wandering in here..." Shane trailed off, leaving the man to hopefully get the picture. "Look, we're guests here. This is your property, and we  _will_ respect that." Rick spoke, giving Shane a pointed look. Rick removed his colt python and set it atop the map, Shane doing the same with his gun, although he didn't seem to be too happy about it.

 

 

             "First things first: set camp, find Sophia." Rick spoke. "I hate to be the one to ask, but somebody's got to. What happens if you find her and she's bit?" I questioned, really wanting to know. "We do what has to be done." Rick spoke, averting his eyes. "And her mother? What do you tell her?" Maggie questioned, staring hard at Rick. "The truth." Andrea spoke, giving the woman a look. "Gather and secure all weapons. Make sure no one's carrying till we're at practice range off site. I do request one rifleman on lookout. Dales got experience."Shane spoke smugly. 

 

 

 

              "Our people would feel safer less inclined to carry a gun." Rick spoke, seeing dad's hesitancy. After a long debate with himself and his beliefs, dad nodded his consent. "Thank you." Rick spoke sincerely. "That stuff you brought. Got anymore antibiotics, bandages, anything like that?" Maggie asked Rick softly. "Just what you've seen." Andrea spoke, walking off. "We're running short already. I should make a run into town." Maggie suggested to dad. "Not the place Shane went?" Rick asked incredulously. "No. There's a pharmacy just a mile down the road. Maggie and I go on runs together sometimes." I told him.

 

 

 

            "We've done it before." Maggie spoke, seeing the hesitancy of Rick and dad. "See our man there? In the baseball cap? That's Glenn, our go-to-town expert. I'd ask him along just to be cautious." Rick advised dad. Maggie and I walked over to Glenn. "I hear you're fast on your feet and know how to get in and out." Maggie spoke, earning a look of confusion and slight pain from the Korean. "Got a pharmacy run. You in?" I clarified with a sigh, figuring out he'd just found his soul mate in my sister. "Uh...." Glenn stuttered dumbly. If his response triggered Maggie's marking, it didn't look like it bothered her any.

 

 

       You see, When Someone Meets Their Soul mate, The Name or Names Of their Soul mates Will inscribe Themselves Somewhere On Your body. I've been told it burns a bit. "What's the water situation?" Dale spoke, walking up. "Got five wells on our land. House draws directly from number one. Number two well is right over there. We use it for the cattle, but it's just as pure. Take what you need. There's a cart and containers in the generator shed behind the house. I'll go saddle your horse." Maggie explained, before walking off. "Horse?" I heard Glenn question faintly as I walked behind her.

 

 

 

            Walking to the barn, I helped Maggie Saddle up our horses. My horse was a beautiful silver stallion I'd named Moonlight. Seating myself on his saddle, we were ready to go out. "I seen you eyeing that Asian boy." I spoke quietly. Maggie ignored me in favor of murmuring quietly to her horse. "Just know, dad says their stay isn't permanent." I added after a moment. 

* * *

 

_**-3rd Pov-** _

 

 

        "I'm not weak and I'm not a coward." T-dog panted as he and Dale rolled the cart and containers up to well number two."I never said you were." Dale murmured. "No, what I said on the highway-- I don't know what that was, where it came from. That wasn't me. If it's okay, I'd rather you never told anyone about the stuff I said." T-dog spoke, pumping the well. "What stuff?" Dale asked him. "I couldn't get a word out of you all day." He added sneakily. 

 

 

              T-dog smiled before resuming his work with his good arm. "Say, man, you think there's a snowballs chance we'll actually find that little girl?" He asked Dale. "For the first time in my life, I'm betting on the snowball." Dale spoke, wandering close to the well as T-dog continued to speak, hearing familiar sounds. "Yeah, me too. Do whatever we have too. I don't care if we have to Comb the woods like rambo or fetch a pail of water. Everyone kicks in, does there part. Am I right?" T-dog asked, raising the ladle of water to his lips, only to have it be knocked away. He gave Dale an incredulous look. "I wouldn't drink that if I were you." The man advised. 

 

**_-Kendall Pov-_ **

 

         I gazed into the well with a look of disgust clear on my features as Shane, Lori, Maggie, Glenn, Dale, T-dog, and Andrea Walked up behind me. The wood covering the well had been removed, revealing the snarling form of a swollen walker sitting right at the bottom, hissing and growling. "Looks like we got ourselves a swimmer!" I chirped, entirely to happy for this situation. "How long do you think he's been down there?" Glenn asked in disgust. "Long enough to grow gills." Andrea gagged out. "We can't leave it in there. God knows what it's doing to the water." Lori spoke, the possibilities running through her mind.

 

 

             "We got to get it out." Shane agreed. "Easy, put a bullet in It's head." T-dog spoke, angrily glaring at the walker in our families well. "No!" I exclaimed as everyone went to do their job. "Why not? It's a good plan." Glenn asked, ever being an idiot. "It's a stupid plan. If that thing hadn't contaminated the water yet, blowing it's brains out will finish the job." I snapped, glaring at them all. "He's right, can't risk it." Shane sighed. 

 

 

       "So, it has to come out alive?" T-dog asked. "So to speak." Shane stated quietly. "How do we do that?" Glenn asked, directing the attention of his group to him, causing him to groan.

* * *

_**-3rd Pov-** _

 

 

            "The interstate where you broke down is here. There's your creek. My farm is here. We're looking out that way. South-southeast." Hershel spoke, standing from his kneeling position with aid from his walking stick. "We missed this branch of the creek entirely. If she went that direction, she could be miles from where we looked." Rick spoke, observing the map. "Rick, take a moment. Come look. That's something isn't it? It's good to pause for an occasional reminder." Hershel spoke. "Of what?" Rick asked quietly. "Whatever comes to mind." Hershel replied. 

 

 

             "For me, it's often god. No thoughts on that?" Hershel asked the man. "Last time I asked God a favor and stopped to admire a view my son got shot. I try not to mix it up with the almighty anymore. Best we stay out of each others way." Rick spoke adamantly. "Lori told me your story-- how you were shot, the coma. Yet you came out of it somehow. You did not feel gods hand in yours?" Hershel asked as they looked out at the Arcadian scenery. Rick huffed out a laugh and looked at the ground.

 

 

            "At that moment? No, I did not." Rick answered quietly. "In all the Chaos, you found your wife and boy. Then he was shot, and he survived. That tells you nothing?" Hershel asked incredulously. "It tells me God's got a strange sense of humor." Rick spoke, before walking back to the truck. 

* * *

_**-Kendall Pov-** _

 

        

              "He's not going for it." Dale observed as the walker in the well ignored the canned ham we'd lowered down on a rope. "It doesn't kick and scream. Can he even see it?" I asked, squinting down at the walker in the well. "He's right. There's a reason the dead don't come back to life and start raiding our cupboards." Lori stated. "We need live bait." Andrea spoke. 

 

 

           "Have I mentioned that I really like your new haircut? You have a nice shaped head." Glenn stuttered nervously as Shane tied the rope around his waist. "Don't worry about it, bud. We're gonna get you outta here in one piece." Shane spoke loudly. "Living piece. The living part is important." Glenn gulped. "You people are insane."I spoke as I watched the scene in front of me. "You want to get it out of your well or not?" Shane demanded, as they began lowering the boy down into the well. 

 

 

 

                "Give us an eye there, Maggie." Dale asked politely. Maggie walked over to the well, shaking her head in some kind of emotion I couldn't read. "Doin' okay?" I called out, slightly concerned for the soul mate of my sister. "Yup! Doing great! Living the dream...." He whimpered out from inside the well. "Little lower. Little lower." Maggie called out, keeping her eyes on Glenn. A small creak brought my attention to the pump for the well, that the rope was wrapped around. "Um, guys?" I asked, seeing the thing beginning to creak. They ignored me as Maggie's voice over powered mine.

 

 

 

                 The pump finally gave way as Glenn all of a sudden dropped lower into the well. We all scrambled to grab onto it as Glenn screamed from inside the well. Soon, Glenn scraped out of the well, heaving in breaths. "Back to the drawing board." Dale sighed. "Says you." Glenn spoke, handing Dale the rope an stumbling off. Looking down into the well, we saw that the rope rope was wrapped around the walkers fat, bloated body. "Um, Maggie?" I spoke in confusion as something wet dripped into my eye. "Oh my god!" She gasped, rushing to my side. Her hands flew to my forehead, pain erupting from the spot as she ripped off a part of her shirt and pressed it gently on my forehead. "What is it?" I asked quietly, not knowing what the hell was going on. 

 

 

                "You got a Giant cut on your forehead." Maggie snapped, as she began leading me back to the house.

* * *

**-3rd Pov-**

 

 

              Daryl exited the woods quietly, Crossbow in hand, catching sight of a little farm house. Walking up to the house, he kicked the doors in, ready for anything that might jump out at him. Walking into the kitchen, he ripped open the pantry door. Inside the bottom was a little pillow and cover, just the size for Sophia. 

 

 

            "Sophia! Sophia!" He called, walking out of the house. 

* * *

**_-3rd Pov-_ **

 

 

            After Maggie had taken Kendall to the house, she'd run back to the well. The others were already working on pulling the walker out. "Come on guys, pull!" T-dog encouraged, Yanking on the rope. "Pull!" Shane hollered, pulling on the rope harder. 

 

 

             "It's stuck!" Someone yelled as the walker got stuck on the side of the well. Pulling harder, the walkers waist finally gave and the the bottom half fell back into the well, contaminating the water. "We should seal off this well." Dale sighed in suggestion, looking at the groaning hissing half walker before them. "Yeah, that might be a good idea." Shane agreed. "So what do we do about--" Andrea was cut off by T-dog beating the half walkers head in with whatever he had in his hands. Maggie gasped and tried to hold herself back from throwing up. "Good thing we didn't do anything stupid, like shoot it." T-dog spoke sarcastically. 

* * *

 

 

          Back on the highway, Carol stood beside a yellow car, with multiple bottles of water, some canned food and a bottle of Gatorade on the hood. On the windshield, written in white paint, read ' _Sophia stay here we will come every day'._ Andrea and Shane stood by, watching he woman. "We'll come again tomorrow." Andrea suggested. 

 

 

 

          "We can hand targets along that fence line there. That rise, it gives a natural backstop." Shane Suggested, pointing out the fence as they headed back to the farm. "So how long before I can Carry?" Andrea asked. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Shane spoke with a chuckle. "I'm not in a very patient frame of mind these days, Shane. You might have noticed that." Andrea spat. "No shit." Shane spat back. 

 


End file.
